High Prices
by uncomplicatedButterFLY
Summary: She was high society’s favorite daughter; brilliant, witty, smart and beautiful. He was her ever-present, sarcastic and cynical best friend whose biggest secret could make or break them. So what happens when he is forced to tell her his secret?
1. Prologue

Prologue

"Please, just wait. Let me explain." He begged

Explain what? There were no words that could possibly make it alright or even explain what had just happened. He'd ruined her, scarred her for life. There were no more words left to say. He'd let the best thing in his life go without even a fight. Maybe he didn't deserve her. Not after what he'd done. He could never even hope to deserve her. Never.

Tears had begun to pool in her lovely eyes; her bottom lip quivering.

"Just, let me go" she pleaded

And he did.


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter 0ne**

I'd first met Edward in preschool. Even at the age of 4 Edward was already stunning. With his bright green eyes, dimples, cherub cheeks just begging to be pinched and of course his famous lopsided grin (that eventually turned into a panty-dropping smile), he'd become quite a favorite among teachers and even parents. However Edward wasn't just known as the most adorable 5 year old ever to live but he was already beginning to show signs of being a musical prodigy. He'd first been introduced to the piano by his grandfather at the age of 3 and quickly found a penchant for it. By the time he was in kindergarten he'd already composed 38 songs and mastered many, many classics. No one could have been prouder than his mother of course.

His mother; the famous Esme Cullen, wife of world renowned neurosurgeon, Doctor Carlisle Cullen and the only daughter of August Masen III.

Her family had first made its fortune through the establishment of The Luella Group which managed a series of luxury hotels all over the world. For almost a century The Masens were Upper East Side Royalty. No other family was mentioned in the papers society page more often than them and nobody could throw a better party than Beatrice Masen the family matriarch. However come 1929 the Masens' luck took a change for the worst. It was the year of the Great Crash. Although they fared better than most, they could no longer afford their lifestyle. The family soon moved to Forks, Washington in order to save what money they had left but it was also a chance for Cornelius Masen to take the Luella Group to new heights.

It was here in this little town of Forks, on the Olympic Peninsula with a population of only 1,345, where they began their new lives and where most of their fortune was made.

Again.

Cornelius Masen the then patriarch of the family began to buy land in the hope of building his own chain of hotels and casinos. He'd grown tired of creating luxurious hotels out of little more than shack houses for other people. He wanted to become his own boss. However Beatrice wanted no such thing. His wife detested the weather, the size of the town and above all the people of Forks. After 7 months of living in what she thought to be impoverished conditions, she begged and begged her husband to go back to New York, to their lavish lifestyle and to her high society friends.

Of course Cornelius refused to go back because there was nothing to go back to. Instead he proposed that she leave him and their 5 children and only to return when the good people of Forks had been deemed good enough of her company. Infuriated, desperate and tired of her husband's ever-growing insanity, she picked up her bags and left. She'd gotten as far Chicago when she was mugged and left for dead in the streets.

Cornelius on the other hand prospered and his business boomed but even then he never quite forgave himself for what had happened to his dear sweet Beatrice. He never remarried and died a lonely old man. After the death of Beatrice no amount of money in the world could have made him happy, his children were the only thing left that made his life worth living.

And the thought of maybe one day joining Beatrice in the after life.

My family history however isn't even half as interesting. Both my parents were of wealthy families.

My dad was raised in Forks, Washington where his family had made most of its wealth from the pharmaceuticals industry. Charles, my dad (though only his mother calls him that, he likes to go by Charlie) spent most of his life in the care of others. His mother was too busy with Junior League and his father with his company. He'd grown up in the care of several nannies and when he was old enough, was sent away to an exclusive boarding school in Europe.

My mother Renee had been born to the Lockwoods of Pennsylvania, a family of old money dating back to the 1700's. She lived a more than comfortable life on the Main Line, went to cotillions and debutante balls, volunteered at the local shelter, was an active member of Junior League and of course was accepted to her selection of Ivy League schools. However the money or the people associated with it never made her happy. She felt so boxed in. Her life had been planned to a T. The people who she was surrounded by were a select group of people, the prep school she'd attended was so exclusive that even the janitor drove an Audi.

All she wanted to do was escape. So when she'd enrolled at Penn and learned about their exchange program, she'd immediately signed up. This was her chance at an escape even if only for a year or two. She'd been studying at a private college in London when she met my dad. They met at a bar, exchanged numbers and fallen in love.

Charlie understood Renee, understood her need for escape. Being the only son he was the sole heir to my grandfather's multi-million dollar company. He too had his life planned out. My dad was expected to graduate from Oxford with honors then to go on and complete his MBA at Harvard before finally moving back to Forks to take over the business. Their unhappiness, however odd, formed the basis of their relationship. They'd been dating 2 months when he popped the question.

The happy couple came back to the states and announced their engagement to their families. Neither family were overcome with joy but Renee & Charlie couldn't have cared less because despite having all their friends and families vehemently opposed to their union, they got married on the 9th of April, 1985. Following the wedding Renee had decided to stay in Forks and pursue a career in events management.

After 6 years of wedded bliss Renee announced that she would be having a baby girl. That following fall I was born.

It was at the St. Augustine's Pre-K School for Boy & Girls where I first met Edward.

The early September air was already beginning to show signs of a very cold winter ahead. Our parents had managed t wrestle us into our new school uniforms and even convinced us that we would have 'lots of fun' even if mommy and daddy weren't with us.

Nothing could have prepared me for what I was greeted with when my mom and I walked hand in hand through the school's historic iron wrought gates.

The school was for children from the ages of 4 to 6. There would be no games of hide and seek or snakes and ladders. The students at St. Augustine's had a meticulous schedule which consisted of Science, Math and Literature in the morning and Language Arts, Music and Arts & Craft in the afternoon. Remember most of these kids had just learned how to write their name over the summer. What business would they have, learning Advanced Calculus?

Funny enough, it was the sandbox where our beautiful friendship began. Mike and Jessica were fighting over a spade when in the heat of things, pushed me face first into the sand. As my fellow classmates pointed and giggled, Edward helped me up and brushed the sand from my face and pigtails.

Every day since then, we've been joined at the hip. Every year we'd demand that our parents made sure we were placed in the same class and even had matching backpacks. If someone were to look at all my pictures, growing up, I could confidently say that Edward was in almost every one of them. If someone made me cry, Edward made them bleed, if I got a bad a score on a test, we'd skip class and get banana splits. If Edward had girl troubles, I was his , if there was a piece he couldn't master I'd punch him and tell him to get over himself. It was a beautiful friendship, one that I wouldn't change for all the money in the world. Ever.

-x-

_Her soft brown hair cascaded gracefully down her chest; the length enough to cover her perfect breasts but still allow a glimpse, almost like a tease. The creamy paleness of her skin magnified as the moonlight shone upon her skin, causing it to cast a dim glow. Luscious ruby lips, so very soft and full called out to me, begging to be kissed. However no matter tempting her pout they were by far in no comparison to the eyes that god himself created. Eyes so very innocent and devoid of all evils yet held the innocence and power of other worldly beauty. Yes, it is those eyes that are as bottomless as they are magnificent that allure me the most. Brown like chocolate, like earth, like life itself. One look from this angel is all it would take for my undoing. I would humor all her fancies and indulge her in every way possible, never having the ability to deny her anything. This heavenly creature could have all of me. _

_Her stunning gaze catches mine and I am frozen in utter bliss. She reached her hand for mine and I happily give it. As our hands met the air becomes thicker as though laced with electricity. At last I feel the smooth and silky palm of her hand. There is no joy in the world greater than mine. I whisper her name like you would a prayer._

_"Bella"_

I woke to the sensation of fingers delicately tracing patterns across my back. I slowly stretched and opened an eye to find the girl of my dreams. Literally.

Bella was kneeling on the side of my bed with a smile plastered on her face. It was one hell of a sight to wake up to. She'd just had a shower and I could smell the faint scent of her strawberry body wash, it was absolutely enticing. Her big brown eyes were bright and her cheeks rosy. She looked stunning.

I can't remember the exact date when I fell ass over elbows in love with my best friend.

I mean, sure she was gorgeous, clever, funny and sweet but that's just how Bella's always been. But something in the past year had changed. Now when I looked at her it was as though my eyes had been blind and I was only just starting to see her clearly. Now, everything about her seemed so beautiful and perfect. Nothing left of the clumsy 4 year old girl I'd met in nursery school.

One day she was my best friend, the girl who told me when I was being dick, the one who never let me get too full of myself, then the next, she was everything. It was like my life was on hold whenever she wasn't with me, like I could never really breathe until I was with her again. Nothing seemed quite right without her. It was one hell of a fuck up. These feelings were screwing up our friendship. I knew I would never be able to feel anything less about her. I would never be able to just stand back while she dated other boys and eventually got married. And still friendship would never be enough for me.

She continued to look at me so I rolled over onto my back and gave her a questioning look. She began to blush profusely and soon fell into fit of giggles.

Did I really look that bad in the morning?

"What on Earth are you laughing at Swan?"

Another round of giggles was the reply I received. By this point she'd also begun with the hiccups.

What the hell was so funny?

"Bella, what are you laughing at?" I asked. Her face was so red that she was starting to resemble a tomato. She was rolling on the floor now and gasping for a desperate breath as she was overcome with another round of laughter.

The ridiculous sight of Bella on the floor overcome with so much laughter that tears were flowing down her cheek, was absolutely absurd. She gasped for breath and looked at me. Giggles threatened to escape but she looked to be trying very hard to get them under control.

Finally she looked up at me and with all the seriousness she could muster, said:

"Good morning Edward, Eddy"

"Eddy? ", I asked when the sudden realization hit me like a 6 ton monster truck.

I looked down at the tent that had sprung up between my legs. My mind didn't know how to keep up with the thousands of thoughts and emotions running through me. I didn't know whether I was more shocked or embarrassed that this _problem _had been seen by Bella.

At the moment the two emotions were pretty much equal. Not knowing how to deal with the situation I quickly gathered my comforter to my mid section and made a mad dash for my bathroom.

Outside I heard Bella laughing like a mad man as I tried to rectify the problem. Bella came to my door and knocked. There was no way in hell she was getting in.

"Edward, would you calm down. It's not like I haven't seen you naked before. Please come out."

Of course like a silly little school girl, she'd giggled out 'come'.

I was beyond mortification. How the fuck was I supposed to go out there without crying like an over-sized baby.

This was probably the worst morning of my life.

I groaned, going outside was inevitable and knowing Bella she wouldn't just leave. She'd be stubborn and insist that I get over myself. No apology on her part of course.

"Bella, being naked together in your kiddie pool when we were 5 isn't the same as you seeing _that."_

I could hear faint giggles from her side of the door.

"Get over it Cullen. Now put _that_ away because we're going to be late for brunch Vivienne's."

I sighed. I didn't think she'll ever let me live this down. No pun intended.


End file.
